EXETER City manager Paul Tisdale has challenged new signings Scott Golbourne and Barry Corr to resurrect their careers at St James' Park, after agreeing one-year deals with the Grecians.

Both players were released by their respective clubs – Golbourne by Reading and Corr by Swindon Town – at the end of last season, with Golbourne, 21, struggling to make the grade at Madejski Stadium following his switch from Bristol City. Irishman Corr, 24, has made over 50 career appearances for Sheffield Wednesday, Swindon and Bristol City, for whom he played on loan, but injuries have hindered his progress in the professional game.

"Both signings are players that are hungry and have something to play for, which I think is very important," Tisdale said. "Scott obviously addresses our obvious short-fall of left-sided defenders. He is a very good young player and I decided Exeter was a good challenge for him, after a good move to Reading a few years ago, and maybe now he needs a new start.

"He comes with a very good pedigree and at a very good age and we are looking forward very much to him playing for Exeter and he has a great opportunity to achieve a lot with us."

Golbourne came through the youth ranks at Ashton Gate and represented England at Under-17, 18 and 19 level. However, he left for the Royals after making 14 first-team appearances, but much of his time in Berkshire was spent out on loan at Wycombe Wanderers (twice), Bournemouth and, most recently, Oldham Athletic.

Tisdale added: "The profile of the player was right for me. He is a good age, highly thought of only a few years ago, and got a very good move, but he didn't quite establish himself at Premier League level. So why not get back to it with us?

"He is similar to Dean [Moxey], he has very good energy and he's a left-back that can move into midfield, which was important. He is quick and athletic and good on one-versus-ones. He likes to get forward, so I would say he has the credentials to fit into our system."

Corr was twice signed by Plymouth Argyle manager Paul Sturrock – from Leeds United, where he came through the youth ranks, for Wednesday, and then for Swindon from the Owls. At 6ft 4in, he is very much the target-man type and will provide competition for Exeter's other strikers.

"He hasn't played much football recently, but the facts will tell you that, when he does play, he is mobile for a tall striker and he has good technique," Tisdale said. "He is not limited in any areas and I think he will fit into a number of systems.

"He is a certain type of striker, clearly a very good target striker and someone that I think will be very motivated to put behind him a couple of years where he didn't achieve what he is capable of. I don't think he would have been available to us had he had two fully fit years."

However, the signings are not set to end there, with Tisdale hinting that as many as ten or 12 players could arrive over the summer. Next week, nine trialists are poised to link up with the squad and will be put through their paces in Thursday's friendly at Weston-super-Mare, including 23-year-old Welsh international Richard Duffy, who has 13 full caps to his name.

"I'm very enthused by this one," Tisdale said. "He is very versatile and can play across the back four, including centre half, he comes with a terrific pedigree having stepped up to the Premier League and not quite establishing himself, which is no easy task, and now he is looking for a club and it comes back to the theory that perhaps we are the right club for him and he is the right player for us.

"I have not seen him play recently, which is why he is spending pre-season with us. We have done some due diligence on it and he was very keen to come to a club that suited him to prove himself. He has chosen to come here as much as we have asked him to come on trial."

Duffy came through the ranks at Swansea before Tony Adams took him to Portsmouth for around £500,000 in January 2004. However, he made only one appearance for Pompey, and enjoyed loan spells at Burnley, Coventry City (four times) and Swansea City before joining Millwall in February 2009.

Duffy is set to be joined on trial at City by Aaron Griffiths, a left-back who was released by Aston Villa, and right-sided defender Alex Melbourne, 19, who was released by Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of the campaign.

West Ham duo Jack Jefferies (a 19-year-old striker who ended last season on loan at Eastbourne Borough, scoring three goals in 13 appearances) and Tom Harvey (a 19-year-old midfielder) will also arrive along with Arsenal midfielder James Dunne, 19, who spent part of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest.

Former Swindon midfielder Chris Allen, 20, is also expected to arrive, along with two other un-named trialists.

It was also confirmed yesterday that the Grecians have taken over the remainder of Alex Russell's contract with Cheltenham Town, and he will stay with the club for at least the next season. However, the changes are not just confined to the playing side.

Shaun Taylor, who captained the Grecians to the Fourth Division championship in 1990 and was twice interviewed for the managers' job, missing out to Alex Inglethorpe and then Tisdale, has joined the club's youth set-up and will help Kwame Ampadu and Simon Hayward in developing the club's youngsters.

"It's a great appointment for the club, he is a stalwart of the club, who has a very good pedigree in the game, and loves his coaching," Tisdale said. "He is an Exeter City legend that has been added to the coaching staff.

"He has a lot of expertise and know-how and he will bring professionalism to the Centre of Excellence.

"We are not just looking at first-team players, we are looking at everything and, as I always say, the team behind the team is the big team. We are going to have good centre-halves for our staff team, with Andy Tilson and Shaun Taylor!"

Tisdale also confirmed that the Grecians had been approached by Plymouth Argyle to play a first-team friendly this summer, but on the date suggested – Tuesday, July 28 – Exeter are due to play Salisbury City instead.